This book offers the first English translation of the earliest Christian hymnal, a little-known and overlooked text that preserves the sacred songs of Jerusalem’s Christian communities during the late fourth or early fifth century. This hymnal, known as the Jerusalem Georgian Chantbook, preserves the hymnography of the Jerusalem churches from a crucial moment in early Christian history, when Christianity was transitioning from a small minority faith into the faith of an empire. This book presents the hymns that were used for regular Sunday worship. These hymns not only are the oldest part of the collection, but they also would have had the most influence in forming the faith of Jerusalem’s congregations.

This collection offers the first English translation of the oldest known Christian hymnal, a book of hymns which was compiled in Jerusalem during the later 4th or early 5th century. The First Christian Hymnal offers an unmatched resource for understanding the development of early Christian worship and piety, as well as the transmission of Christian doctrine to the unlettered. For too long, this invaluable collection has been almost completely ignored by scholars of early Christianity, having survived only in an Old Georgian translation.

Includes bibliographical references (p. xxxvi-xxxvii) and index.

"From the first days of the church, Christians confessed their faith in Jesus Christ in both theological discussion and in popular hymns of devotion. After the major church councils from Nicaea to Chalcedon brought clarification and definition to Christological doctrines, the hymns began to express clearly this belief in Jesus as truly God and truly human." "Father Liderbach shows that pre-Nicaean hymns inductively held in tension both the full humanity of Jesus and his more-than-human status. Then during the councils from Nicaea to Chalcedon, deductive doctrine held sway in the new hymn compositions. But the final definition by Chalcedon encouraged new hymns in which humanity and divinity are once again held in experiential tension according to the "rule of faith" of the earliest period."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

"Christian Hymns of the First Three Centuries" by Ruth Ellis Messenger. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

"Recognizing the multifaceted nature of Christian churches today, this exceptional collection of 600 hymns offers an outstanding worship resource for any congregation. From classic anthems to beloved gospel standards, and from the most popular hymns of the major Christian denominations to new worship favorites particularly suited to congregational singing, it features the best of the best for every tradition and every generation. High quality bindings ensure decades of use by congregations, small groups, and individuals. Includes core "must-have" hymns from the major Christian denominations. Seven helpful indices including the most thorough topical index available. 600 classic anthems, beloved gospel standards, and new worship favorites. The most extensive seasonal selection available. Attractive bindings complement any sanctuary decor. Some music publisher-produced hymnals bulk up on lesser-known songs for which they own the rights. Hymns in The Christian Life Hymnal were chosen because they represent the best of the best throughout the years and across the Christian spectrum." -- Publisher.